Circuit-controller.



J. P. COLEMAN.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 20,1913.

1,]. 32,444. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG-.1

FIG. 2

kp/LNZENTOR M r J. P. COLEMAN.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1913.

1,132,444, Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 3

WITNESSES mvZN'roR fl dam,

' STATES PATENT oFFIcn.

JOHN P. COLEMAN, 0F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE.

UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A $031 IP OBATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ornourr-con'rnounn.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Original hpplicetion filed August 5, 1212, Serial No. 71.3 239. Divided and this application filed June 26,

1913. Serial No. 175,840.

To all'whom itmay concern.-

Be, it known that 1, Joan P. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have m- .vented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circuit controllers, and the present application is'a division of my co-pending application filed August 5, 1912, Serial No. 713,239, for railway s'gnals.

I will describe one formof c1rcu1t con toller embodying my invention, and will looking in the direction indicated by: the

arrows. i

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring to the drawings, 73 and 74 are blocks of insulating material mounted between end plates 10 and 11. These blocks and end plates are clamped together by means of studs 12 and 13. One end of each stud is reduced in diameter and riveted in plate 11, the shoulder formed by the reduced portion resting against the inside face of the plate; the other endof each stud is also reduced in diameter and threaded, the shoulder formed by this reduced portion resting against the inside face of plate 10. Nuts 12 and 13 are screwed on the threaded portions of the studs and abut against the; outside face of plate 10. The studs 12 and 13 do not pass through the blocks 73and 74, but are located partially in V-shaped notches in these blocks as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The blocks 73 and 74 are maintained in proper osition with respect to the end plates 10 an 11 by means of lugs 73" and 74 in the blocks wh ch fit into matching grooves 10 and 11 m the end plates. Endplate 10 is provided with cap 14 and end plate 11. This shaft as hereshown is of square'cross-section, except at itsv ends which are rounded to fit into the bearings This shaft carries a plurality of sleeves of insulating material, of which two only, 67 and 68, are shown in the drawings.

I Each sleeve is provided with a square hole which fits tightly on the shaft 66 so that after being forced into proper osition on the shaft the sleeve will remain Xed thereon in such position. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, each sleeve comprises a comparatively narrow web and a peripheral flange extending in each direction from the web; A portion of the periphery of each sleeve is tapered as shown-in Fig. 2 and thetapered portion is provided with teeth around its entire circumference as shown in Fig. 3. Each insulation sleeve carriesa contactsegment of electro-conductive material; in Fig. 2 I have shown two segments 70 and 71 in cross section. Each of these segments'is in the form of an annular ring the bore of which is tapered to fit the tapered portion of the periphery of the insulation sleeves; the bore of each segment is also provided with teeth which match the teeth on the periphery of the insulation sleeves. The periphery of each segment forms a contacting face, as shown in Fig. 3. It is understood that the contacting face of each segment may be any desired part of a circumference of a circle. The width of each seg ment is less than the width of the insulation sleeves, so that adjacent segments are separated by an air space sufiicient for safe insulation.

Mounted in the blocks 73 and 74: are a plurality of contact fingers 39, 39 42, 42, etc., which are adapted to make electrical contact with the contact faces of the segments 70, 71, etc. Each finger is located in a slot 21 in the top or bottom face of the block 73 or 74. Each finger is provided with a cylindrical terminal block 20 which is located in a cylindrical hole 22 in the block; each finger is held securely in its slot 21 by a screw 23 which passes through a hole in the finger, a slot 24 in the block, and into the corresponding terminal block 20. It will be seen that each contact finger may be withdrawn from the circuit controller by merely loosening screw 23 and without disturbing the remaining parts of the structure; The outside face of each-terminal block 20 is threaded to receive a screw 25 by means of which wires may be electrically connected with the blocks. It will be noted that the holes 22 are staggered in location. By means of this arrangement I am able to separate the adjacent terminal blocks 20 by the greatest possible distance and thereby obtain the largest possible'amount "of insulating material between these blocks.

It will be seen that by means of the matchscribed only one form of circuit controller embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the ap pended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A circuit controller comprising ashaft, a sleeve mounted thereon, the periphery of the sleeve being tapered, teeth on the said tapered periphery, and a contact member having a tapered bore provided with teeth adapted to match the said teeth on the sleeve. 2. A circuit controller comprising an insulation sleeve having a tapered periphery,

teeth on the said tapered periphery, and a,

contact member having a tapered bore provided .with teeth which match the teeth on the said sleeve.

3. A circuit controller comprising a shaft, a pluralitv of sleeves mounted thereon in close proximity, the periphery of each sleeve being tapered, a contact member for each sleeve and having a tapered bore fitting the tapered periphery of the sleeve, each member being held in proper longitudinal position on its sleeve by the engagement of the small portion of its hub with the face of the next adjacent sleeve.

4. A circuit controller comprising a shaft,

a sleeve mounted thereon, the periphery ofthe sleeve being tapered; and a contact memher mounted on the sleeve and having a bore v tapered to match the periphery of the sleeve. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in. presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. COLEMAN.

- WVitnesses R. UTNE,

A. HERMAN Wncnnn. 

